goat's milk formula- illegal?

[thisisyesterday]

I have just been reading through Mike Brady's Q&A and noticed his claims that this is illegal.

is it? really? I know you are not advised to use it (and why), but I had no idea it was actually illegal.

I mean, he seems like he really ought to know! but somehow I am having trouble believing it!

I have e-mailed him to ask about it, but interested if anyone know the answer right now

i have no idea what the justification is, I wasn't commenting on that

what makes you think a "large proportion" of vegan mothers would be able to breastfeed? look at breastfeeding rates in this country. they're awful. what magical qualities do vegan mums possess that other mums don't?

why would you think that some would be happy giving a dairy formula? I have to say that I've yet to meet a vegan who would be happy to do that, and I know quite a lot!

what about those who WANT to bottle feed, or at least give some formula??

sorry, I do agree that clearly soya formula isn't out there just for the vegan contingent, but I think that you're making a lot of HUGE assumptions about vegans in general!

I guess if formula manufacturers are making a big profit from soy formula, and if GP's are still allowed to prescribe it (which some do, shockingly) then it would be a huge thing to ban it and presumably whoever is in charge of banning stuff like this would need a very compelling reason to do so.
even if vegans do make up less than 1% of the population I still think their needs shoiuld be taken into account, though I suspect that is not the only reason soy formula is still available

hmmmmm, it's all jolly complicated, that's all i can say really!

I think vegan parents more likely to breastfeed that general population because:

a) they are aware of some of the bad press of the soya formula and would prefer if their baby didn't have dairy formula.

b) they are more likely to be "hippy organic" breastfeeding types (this was my impression from looking at some vegan chatboards).

Most of my friends have BF, I know hardly anyone who formula fed from birth, and only a few who tried but weren't able. BFing rates are low as in general women don't want to BF not because people aren't able.

c) The magical property that vegan mums will have is inclination.

I would have thought some would be happy to give their children dairy formula as most of the vegetarians I know (I don't know any vegans) are giving their children meat/fish even if they don't eat it themselves. Unlike meat/fish dairy formula has a fixed date on it (ie just until 1 year old).

Re when it became illegal - it was, iirc, Sept 2006.

How old is that article, MumNW? Farley's milk doesn't even exist any more.

Got that article from vegetarian and vegan foundation, no date on it.

I just googled "vegan infant formula" and according to the vegan society:

"Despite the best efforts of dietician Sandra Hood and The Vegan Society who have been talking to Cow & Gate, SMA and The Department of Health, there currently is no vegan infant formula on sale since Heinz discontinued their Nurture Soya last month. Other soya formulas such as Cow & Gate?s Infasoy and SMA?s Wysoy contain vitamin D taken from sheep?s wool (lanolin)."

So the logic that soya formula is required for vegan parents doesn't make sense if none of the current soya formula are even vegan, and the one vegan formula that was available is not being produced anymore (presumably not enough people buying it).

• backs up what I said that the number of people wanting to buy vegan formula must be very small.

www.vegansociety.com/news/vegan-infant-formula.aspx

"Most of my friends have BF, I know hardly anyone who formula fed from birth, and only a few who tried but weren't able. BFing rates are low as in general women don't want to BF not because people aren't able.

c) The magical property that vegan mums will have is inclination."

sorry, but you are sadly mistaken if you think that bf rates are low because of people not wanting to breastfeed.

i believe something like 75% of women initiate breastfeeding. only 35 per cent of UK babies are being exclusively breastfed at one week, 21 per cent at six weeks, 7 per cent at four months and 3 per cent at five months

so women DO want to breastfeed, but the support they receive is inadequate to enable them to do so.
there is no reason why vegan mums, simply by being "inclined" to do so, will necessarily have more success than any other mum who wants to feed her baby.